When one does a simple Google search of “Kasabian North America” the first two WebPages that pop up are Concert Confessions creations (Please join our Facebook group). I am pretty sure on a personal level I have done more work getting Kasabian on So-Cal radio juggernaut KROQ then the bands US label has. To be honest, I fear the band may not even have a US label at this point. So while Kasabian may not be able to sell 1000 tickets in my hometown, that does not stop me from worshiping the band and trying everything in my power to bring them back to North America.

Since the band won’t come here, and I currently can’t afford a trip to Europe to see them/review them, I will have to settle for the next best thing. Watching the bands July 3rd, 2010 performance to a sea of rabid fans at the Heineken Open’er Festival in GdyniaPoland. So please enjoy my review from watching this show three times on YouTube. If you want to enjoy this for yourself, please feel free to watch the below video. Fingers crossed we can get the band to pay us a stateside visit after the release of their fourth album. Big thanks to YouTube User DroolPL for uploading this mind blowing performance.

In 90 short minutes, UK rock powerhouse Kasabian managed to level the small North Coast town of Gdynia, Poland. With many miles of road behind the band on their “everywhere but the Americas” West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum world tour, the group unleashed a brutal set of fan favorites, radical b-sides and straight up anthems upon the Heineken Open’er Festival.

Taking the stage as the sun set upon the festivals third night, the multiple NME Awards winner kicked things off with the pulsating “Fast Fuse.” With singer Tom Meighan having nothing to lose and a city to abuse, all in attendence were warned that this was indeed the real deal and shit was about to get crazy. From there, the band unleashed a string of hits which included “Shoot The Runner”, “Underdog” and “Where Did The Love Go?” The crowd went bonkers as the band refused to let up hitting them with their mix of rock/dance/psychedellic musical madness.

After a rocking take on the instrumental “Swarfiga”, the band looked back to their “still ahead of it’s time” self-titled debut record. “Cutt Off” is a magical hybrid of late 60’s San Francisco and mid 90’s Brit Trip-Pop that somehow works better live than on record. “Reason is Treason” is a beast live, with a sweet phased out keyboard jam builing nicely before guitarist/principal songwriter Sergio Pizzorno took on lead vocals for the songs bridge. What really impressed me was how well the song flowed right into the foul-mouthed B-side “Julie & The Moth Man.” Being an American and not having access to the Kasabian B-side collection, it was my first time hearing this. In fine Kasabian fashion, it was instantly stuck in my head.

After mellowing things out a bit with “Thick as Thieves” and the Pizzorno lead vocal blockbuster “Take Aim” the band left the valley and brought the mass of humanity back up the mountain with a triple shot of songs from their second album Empire. After rocking the title track, the highlight of the set was “The Doberman.” The way the song slowly builds into a horn lead symphonic masterpiece, only to quietly fade works so well on record, I didn’t think they could pull it off live. I am glad to report that I was wrong. “Stuntman” is not really a favorite of mine, but it rocked live. The band closed their set by performing their breakthrough hit “Club Foot.” With the power of Rage Against The Machine and the dance groves of Tricky coming together into one giant Brit-Pop anthem, this was my introduction to the Countesthorpe band and to this day it still makes my arm hair tingle with delight. With a seizure-inducing light show and a brain bashing bass line layed down by Mr. Chris Edwards (perhaps one of the most under-rated four stringers on the planet), the band took the crowd and beat them upside the head for one last time before taking a well deserved encore break.

The band came back for three songs. The melodic “Fire” kicked things off right and gave the crowd another chance to drown out the band by singing along. “Fire” segued right into another West Ryder track called “Vlad The Impaler.” With another trademark bass line, the band simply managed to connect with the crowd even more. The show finally closed with the worldwide hit “L.S.F. (Lost Souls Forever).” The original Kasabian anthem, it’s next to impossible to not feel alive as the band stretched out the massive number. Hell, even after the band had left the stage, the crowd continued to sing the songs closing ohhhhhh oh oh’s not only to honor the band that had just spent 90 minutes destroying their senses, but secretly hoping for one last song. With the rest of the world on board, it’s only a matter of time for America to discover the power and beauty that is Kasabian.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ity5bFtzqA0&feature=fvwk

A direct descendant of the outlaw Jesse James and star of a 1983 Kilpatricks Bread radio commercial, Reverend Justito has taken his gift of ADHD and put it to good use by creating one of a kind concert reviews. A bootlegger at heart, the man lives off Whiskey, Taco Bell and the love of San Francisco sports teams.